Plainedge, November 23, 2008

Sure, times are getting financially tougher around Long Island.  Most folks are feeling the pinch.  Is there a way out? What can we do as individuals to help?  After all, being from Plainedge, we know what we can accomplish by working together.

The first thing we can do is support our local businesses, let’s take care of our own!  A great example may be supporting Pappalardo's Pizza, Cino's Bagels, Enzo's Italian Deli or Behr's Furniture.  These businesses are our local neighbors, the same owners that donate to our schools or give our high school students their very first job.

As a Plainedge resident it is up to us to support our local businesses.  The next time you consider purchasing furniture from a big box store, think Behr’s.  If you are on the refreshment line at Costco buying a slice of pizza, hold out and head to Pappalardo's, Phil's, Dominick's, Frank's or Abeetza Pizza.  If you are making that internet purchase at a site like Amazon.com consider a Long Island Company and their website, maybe a neighbor works for one. These business owners are a part of our community and we need to support them in these economic times to come.

When making your next purchase, ask yourself, who will benefit more from my purchase, the big box store or our local businessmen and women?  The same people who live in our communities here on Long Island.

Did you know?  If everyone on Long Island spent $100. this holiday season at a locally owned Long Island business, we could keep $53,000,000 right here at home. I think you get it.  It's up to us; it starts in our individual towns like Plainedge and spiders throughout the Island to help keep more of our local dollars here on Long Island.